Differential mechanism.



B. W. BROCKETT.

DIFFERENTIAL MEGHANISM.

A *i APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1905. 'Y 91 5,327, Patented Mar. 23, 1909, 2 SHIIBTSf-SHEBT 1.

B.v w. BRoo-KBTT. yDIFFERENTIAL MEGHANISM. l APPLICATION FILVED NOV. 29, 1905.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' 5217755555.- @XXM l 77; Azzafzayfg.

e i Cuyahoga and l,Diderential Mechanism, of which the followmg y1s a l mechanism of the ty to dispense with' the em and being provided with a number of slots 4 '50` thereof. The outer surface of said cup 1s en- -gaged shown and described,

drive shaft.the casingand parts of the cup 4.0"'beingbrcken away; and

i y transverse sectional vleW'- UNrrEn sTArdEs rai-ENT orrron tBLUFORDV W. BROOKETT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,

INDIANA.

.ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE'ASSIGNMENTS, '.lO

ROSS VGEAR AND .TOOL COMPANY, OFLA FAYTTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF I DIFFERENTIAL MECHANIS'M.

I Specication of Letters Patent.

^ Patented March V23, 1909.

Application 'filed November 29, 1905. Serial No. 289,609.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knovvnthat I, BLUFonD. W. BROCK- E'r'r, residing at Cleveland, in the county of State of Ohio,`have invented a certain newand 4useful'lrnprovementin full, clear, and erence being ings.

My'invention relates to diderential or compensating mechanism, and particularly to e shown and described in the application of E. Ross, No. 257,255, filed April-24, 1905. Y L

The object of said invention is' to adapt said mechanism to inclined shaft sections and lo ment with said mechanism and inclinev shaft sections ofv several of the universal joints employed for this purpose. The inclination of the rear axle sections is of importance in automobileconstruction, as it prevents sagging ofsuch sections and provides for (lished Wheels which from theirsihtliness, are in great deman with the tra e. By the mechanism herein I attain these objectsin an exceedingly simple, inexpensive, and effective manner.` f Referring to the drawings z-Figure 1 represents a longitudinalsectional view showing an embodiment of m invention; Fig. 2.1epresents a 'longit udina sectional view of the shaft vor axle sections, driven gears and gear cases, said view beingtaken atright angles to the plane of Fig. 1 andshowing the inclination of the axle sections; Fig. 3 relresents ya side elevation of the cup or cage' y which the compensating gears are driven from the exact description, refhad to .the accompanying *draw-- Fig. 4 represents a through said cup or cage and its inclosing casing. d

The power or drive shaft 1 extends into the casing 2. ,The rear end of said'shaft is enlarged to form a rounded cup or cage 3, said cup-or cage being substantially hemi-splierical on theinner and outer surfaces thereof extending inwardly vfrom the enlarged end by al cap 5, which may be threaded into of said cup to form a the casing 2. of a fiange ciently smallerthan the gear the ends of the casing' Zand is provided with a suitable number of`concave annular surfaces 6 and'7 for engaging the outer-surface bearing therefor. The ring 5, as previously stated, is threaded into `This is accomplished by means 8 having at its rear or outer end the screw thread 9. The inner portion' of said flange is plain, for engagement by the set screws 10, extending through the casing 2 and engaging such lain rotation of the ring y the cup.

The casingsection 2 is removably iitted, as by bolts 11, 'to the casing sections 12 and 13 which contain lthe driven gears 14 and 16 for the shaft orv axle'sections 16 and 17. respectively. These driven gears are nested: onel within 4the other, the gear 15 being sufli- 14 to permit such nesting. Bearings 18 and 19 are provided inthe cas' s 12 and 13 respectively for the hubs 2O an res actively; As4 lar y from ig. 2, inclined, preferably at anangle degrees from the horizontal. Y. drive the gears14 and 15l vwith best efficiency, it is necessaryl that the pitch linesthereof should meet ata common point. Owing to the arrangement of the gears, this point, indicated at A., Fig. 2, is on .the section 17. Thisvnecessarily brings the inner end of the section 17 above the corresponding end of the section 16. To space the gears and reduce thei friction to a minimum, there is provided a raceway 16a, which may be in the end of the section 16 (see Fig. 1) ora raceway 17 which may be in the end of the section 17 (see Fig. 2) with a corresponding socket 22 in the end of the other lsectionfor the ball 24.

will appear more particuthe sections 16 and 17 are of about 2.1i

The inclination of the shaft or axle sections gears 1.4 -own in 21 of the gears 14 and 15 In order, to'

so proportloned aS portion to prevent to" permit the lower periphery of the smaller gear v15 to rotate within the largeg without engagement therewith. v

The casing section 13 isl provided with a boss or enlargement 25. This boss or enf largement is .provided with a bearing 26, in axial -alinement with the opening 5a in the gear 14 25 gears 33 and 34;" The ear 33 cap 5, for the receptionof the rear or inner end oi the intermediate shaft 27. This shaft extends nearly to the drive shaft 1 andV has keyed to its outer end a beveled gear 28. This gear has its outer surface rounded to iitwithin the cup 3 and is provided with an annular bearing surface 29 engaging the inner surface of said cup to transfer the thrust`on the shaft 27 to the said cup. Within the l0 'rear portion of the cup are the compensating piDi'ons 30. These pinions are carriedV on ins 31 projecting from a sleeve 32 which is oose on the shaft 27. ',These pins .project through slots 4 in the cup 3,I whereby said pinions are driven planetarily fromsald cup n and the drive shaft 1.

j Rigid with the shaft 27 'is the beveled gear ."33, said gear meshing with and driving the v earl. Sleeved-on said shaft 27 and in ont of the gear 33 is the .two-faced beveled Awear 34, said gear having teeth on one of its l aces meshingwith the gear 14 and teeth on l its other face meshing with the pinions 30. A spacing ring 35 may be interposed between ears the same ratio to the gear 15 as oes the gear 34 to the gear 14. In order to prevent the use of skew gears, the shaft 27-should be at ri ht angles to a 30 plane throu h the-axles of t e inclmed sectlons 16 an 17, in this instance a substantially vertical plane. As the shaft of an automobile is inclined with respect to the direction of shaft 27, it becomes necessary to employ a universal joint to connect said shafts. The cup 3 on the end of the drive shaft provides such universal joints The slots in said cu are so' shaped as to form between them t e double cycloidal teeth 4, 40 That is to say, the cycloidalcurve by which the outer portion of each tooth' engages the pin is continued inwardly to the bottom of the slot or recess. The advantage of this will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3, wherein it'will be seen that, owing to theinclination of the diive shaft to the aX'is of the intermediate shaft, one of the ins 31 will be near the bottom of a slot or t e inner end of a tooth at the time when the opposite pin 3.1b is near the outer end of its slot or tooth, the pins intermediate oi pins 31a and 31"` occupying intermediatepositions, while the pin 31, which is shown as 90 degrees from pin 3la and'lb, will occupy the middle of the slot. By this construction, the cup 3 constitutes a universal joint, by means of which the compensating pinions are driven with a minimum amount of friction. As shown, inorder to secure sufficient driving points, a series of pins 31Gl may be provided etween the pins which carry the beveled pinions, said pins 31d sleeve 32. A

By making the op osite edges 'ofthe teeth projecting from the 4**Isymmetrical it be seen .that said teeth are adapted to drive the mechanism in either direction, 4it being understood that means, not shown, may be provided for reversing the rotation of the drivel shaft 1.

By the construction herein shown and described, it will be. ap arent that I am enabled to dispense wltii universal joints between the driven ears 14 and -15 and their respective lsha t or axle sections. Moreover, the cup 3 and cap 5 permit me to dispense with the employment of a universal joint outside of the gear casing.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is :k

1.- The combination of a pair of inclined shaft sections, a gear on each of said shaft sections adjacent the inner ends, said gears being of different sizes, the smaller gear nestin r within the larger gear, driving gears for saiil first-'mentioned gears, and means for differentially operating said driving gears, said means including a universal joint substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a pair of'inclined shaft sections, a gear on each said shaft sections adjacent thc inner ends thereof, said gears being of different diameters and thevl larger gear bein cupped or concaved to permit the smal cr gear to nest therein, driving gears for said first-mentioned gears, a power or drive shaft, and means for operating said driving gears differentially from the power or drive shaft, said means including a universal joint substantialiy as specified'.

3. Thevcombination of a air of linclined shaft sections, each of saidpshaft sections having a recess in the inner endl thereof,4 al ball in said recesses, a gear on eac/hof said sec ions, a' driving vgear for each of the firstmentioned gears, a power or drive shaft, an'd means for operating said ldriving gears diifer- Y entially therefrom, substantially as specified.

4. -The combination of a pair 'of inclined shaft sections, the ends of said sections being opposed, the inner end 'of one 'of saidlsections being. above the inner end of the other one of said sections having Ia socket in the end thereof and the other a raceway in the end thereof, a ball in said socket and' raceway, and means for driving said sections differentially substantially as specified.

5. In a di`erential mechanism, the combi nation of a pair of driven gears, driving gears therefor, a power shaft, said shaft .having the end adjacent said driving gears providedl with a `hemi-spherical cup, compensating l gears for said driving gears, means for drivlng said compensating gears from said cup and a bearing for the external surface of sai cup, substantially as specified.

.6. In a differential mechanism, the combi nation of a pair of driven gears, driving gears therefor, a power or drive shaft having its end provided withv s cup the outer surface of 13e in said casing 'mechanism driven by said cu and operating which is convex, compensating gears for said driving gears, means for operatinmsaid compensating gears by said cup, and for the outer surface of said cup, substantially as specified.

7. In a differential mechanism, the combif nation of a casing, driven gears therein, driving gears foi said driven gears, a power or drive shaft having a cup at the end thereof, said cup being convex on its outer surface and projectino' within said casing, a bearing for said cup, and compensating the driving gears, substantia y as specified.

8. In a differential mechanism, the combination of a pair of driven gears, a pair of driving gears therefor, compensating mechanism for said driving gears, 'a casing inclos.-

ing said mechanism, a power or drive shaft having Va cup on-the end thereof, said cup being provided with a spherical outer survv.,face, a bearing within saidcasing for such '.-iouter surface of the cup, and means for op- 4erating the compensating mechanism from lsaid cup, substantially as specified.

9. In a differential mechanism, thecoinbination of driven gears, driving gears for said driven gears, compensating mechanism for said driving gears, a power ordrive shaft yhaving. its end provided with a cup having- 'an on ter spherical surface, said cup being provided with slots extending. inwardly from the open endthereof to provide teeth, meansf for driving said' compensating mechanism byl said teeth, and a bearing for the outer surf' face of the cup, substantially as specified.

10. In a differential mechanism, the combination 'of driven gears, driving gears therefor, compensating pinions for said driving gears, a power or drive shaft provided with a cup having an outer spherical surface and provided with teeth adapt-ed to operate the compensating mechanism, and a bearing for the outer surface of .such cup, substantially as specified.

1 1. In a differential mechanism, the combination of driven'gears, driving`|` gears there'- for, a power ordrive shaft having its outer end provided with a cup having an `outer spherical surface and provided with slots eX- tending' inwardly from the end thereof to form teeth, a shaft intermediate said sup and said driven gears, driving gears on said shaft, comp'eiisatinor pinions carried by said intermediate sha t, pins projecting from said pinions into the slots in the cup, and a bearing for the outer surface of said cup, 'sub-- stantially as specified.

12. In a differential mechanism, the combination of driven gears, a power or drive shaft provided at its end with a cup having a .spherical outer surface, 'therebeing' slots extending inwardly from the outer end of the cup to provide teeth, a shaft intermediate said cup and drivenfgears, driving gears on a bearing said shaft, a sleeve on said shaft having vpins projecting-.therefrom intothe slots in the cu and comensating pinions carried by said sleeve, su stantially as specified. v

13. In a differential meehanism,ithe comf bination of a pair of driven gears, a power or drive shaft provided at its end with a cup to form teeth, a shaft intermediate of said cup and said.y driven gears, driving .gears for saiddriven gears, a sleeve on said shaft, pins pro'ecting from said sleeve and engaging sai slot, compensating4 pinions mounted on some of said pins, anda bearin for the outer surface of said cup, substantia y as s ecif'ied. 14. In a differentialy mechanism, t e combination of driven gears, a shaft, driving gears on said shaft for said driven gears and compensating pinions for said driving gears, a power or drive shaft extending at an angle to the first-mentioned shaft and having at its end a cup provided with a convex outer'surface, said cup driving said compensating pinions, and a bearing having a surfae ions, and a bearing having a concave sur ace for engaging the convex outer surface of said cup, substantially as specified.

16. In a differential mechanism, the 'combination .of 1driven gears, a shaft, driving gears on said shaft for said driven gears, a

sleeve, pins projecting from said sleeve, compensating pinions on'said pins, a power or drive shaft having its end provided with a cup having an outer'spherical surface and slots extending inwardly from the outer end of said cup, and a bearing having a surface for engaging the convex outer surface of the cup, substantially as specified.

vhaving an enter spherical surface andv slots projecting` inwardly from theend of said cup 17. In a dierential mechanism, the combination of driven gears, driving gears for said driven gears, compensating said driving gears, a casing inc osing said pinions, said casing having a ea adjustably fitted thereto, a ower or drive slfiaft extending through sai cap into the casing and having'a cup on the end thereof provided with means for operating said pinions, the outer surface of said cu bein convex, and the inner surface of sai cap avin a concave surface forming a bearm' for t e outer pinions for surface of said cup, substantia y as s eeified.

18. In a differential mechanism, t e combination of a pair of inclined shaft sections, a

drlven member on each of said sections, a casing having one or more bearing surfaces 10 power shaft, a shaft intermediate said power for the exterior of said cup, substantially as shaft and said driven members, driving gears specified.

on said shaft,v a cup carried by said power In testimony whereof I affix my signature -5 shaft having slots' therem, .compensating in thepresence of two witnesses.

gears-for operating' said driving gears, a pin BLUFORD W. BROCKETT. or each of said com ensating gearsadapted Witnesses: A v to enter a yslot in saiscup', a casing inclosin S. E'. FoU'rs,

said'compensatng gears, and a `cap for sai WM. Ross. 

